Currently, all wearable lights used for safety or for carrying out an activity in low-light or no-light conditions require batteries and, consequently, can stop working at precisely the moment when they are needed. Some known devices have replaceable or rechargeable batteries, but the common feature is that some form of integrated or backup power source is needed for continuous operation.
Some known products use motion sensing to activate or deactivate an onboard light so as to reduce power usage. Also, other known devices use rechargeable batteries so as to reduce the need for battery changes and reduce overall cost of the system. However, none of the known systems operate without batteries altogether and this has several drawbacks. First, even a rechargeable battery can run out during an activity or when light is needed. Second, any battery-operated system requires maintenance and/or eventual replacement of batteries. Also, use of rechargeable batteries can be beneficial but it increases initial cost of the system.
Accordingly, there is a need for a wearable or accessory-based lighting system that does not use any form of battery or backup power and, rather, generates electricity through the user's motion. The system should be amenable to miniaturization in appropriate applications, should be waterproof when needed, should require no maintenance and its operation should last for an essentially unlimited amount of time. The applicants note that a system without batteries or other backup power sources will not need to be prepared before use (such as with charging) and will no waste footprint or environmental impact, such as that which is caused by the disposal of batteries. Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to provide a wearable or accessory-based light with the above attributes that can be used in a variety of sporting and other applications.